Land leveler attachment



March 15, 1954 E. TEN BENSEL ,671,973

LAND LEVEL-ER ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 50, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Erwin fenBense/ INVENTOR.

Fig. 2 5y Ammq:

March 16, 1954 E. TEN BENSEL LAND LEVELER ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Jan. 50, l950 Erwin. fen Bense/ INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED S TATES AT ENT F F] CE L'AN'D 'LEVELERATTACHMENT Erwin ten Bensel, Cambridge, N ebr. Application January 30,1950, Serial No. 141,263

Claims.-

fhis invention consists of "a land leveller attachment and morespecifically pertains to an attachment or appliance which may be easilyapplied to or removed from a conventional implement carriagefor'converting'o'r adapting the same for-operation'a's a scraper or landlevelling apparatus. I

The-primary objects of this invention are to provide an appliance orattachment adapted for application to-aconventional form 'of implementcarriage such as those carrying plows or 'chisels, whereby thefunctions'of the implement carriage maybe-converted toorsupplemented'by'the functions of a scraper -'or land levelling device.

-A further important object of the "invention is to provide anattachment in conformity with'the foregoing objects which "shall becapable of very easy attachment to or removal from the frame of a'conventional implement carriage; which may be applied to the carriagewithout the necessit-y for welding, or-other alterations of the car'-riage structure, such as by drilling holes or the like; which shall-'provide an improved mechanism for supporting and selectively raisingor lowering a transversely disposed scraper blade forming the principalpart of the attachment.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects 'of theinvention, which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by 'the present device, a preferred embodiment'of which has been illustrated-byway ofexample only in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

i ig'u'r'e 1 is a side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment'of theattachment applied to a conventional "form of wheeled implementcarriage upon which are mounted a plurality of chisel type plows;

Figure "2' "is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a rear'end View of the same;

Figure 4 is a perspective detail View showing a rocker arm assemblyconnected to the scraper blade for supporting and elevating the same,together with means for connecting the rocker arm assembly to theactuating mechanism, one or the rocker arms being shown with a portioncut away to disclose the mounting of the rocker shaft on the frame;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective detail view showing theconstruction and mounting of one of 'therocker arm elevating units ofthe invention;

Figure "6 'is a fragmentary 'de'ta'il perspective yiw snowing the mannerin which the scraper ,2 blade is pivotally supported and mounted uponthe frame of an implement carriage; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in whichthe supportmg means "is pivotally but-detachably secured to the frame ofthe implement carriage.

The fundamental purpose of this invention is to provide a scraper orland levelling blade which may 'be detachably mounted upon the frameworka wheeled implement carriage and which may be used separately or inconjunction with chisel or other type plows customarilyearr'ied by theimplement carriage. For such a use, it is preferable that the attachmentshall be capable of operation by asingle person who operates thestractorand controls the operation of the implement parr iage and theto'olsc'arri'ed thereby; and it is desirable that the attachment shallbe capable of ready attachment to or removal from the conventionalframewei'k of an implement carriage without the necessity for alteringor modifying the framework, as by the provision of fastening bolts,welding, or the like -for securing the attachment to the frame. However,it appears that there coul'cl' be little, if any, objection to theattachment being permarieil-tly attached to the implement, if the ownerso desired.- v

In conformity with the objects of this invention, there is illustratedin the drawings -a suitable embodiment of the appliance shown mountedupon a conventional for-hi of imple-y ment carriage.

The implement carriage which initsel'f may be of any of a number ofknown andycenventional designs, consists of a supporti g' frameworkindicated generally by the numeral ll); and provided with supportingwheels 12 by which thesame is rendered portable and adjustable. forelevation, the carriage being further provided with a drawbar or tonguel'4 whereby the same may be coupled to any suitable form of prime mover,such as a tractor, o r the like, not shown, in a conventional and wellunderstood manner. The framework'of the implement carriage is providedwith suitable transverse beams 16, to

which are connected a plurality of longitudinal forming the subject ofthis invention may be removably secured to the framework of theimplement carriage. Other shapes would require slight alterations in theattaching clamps or clips.

The main element of this attachment comprises a transversely disposedrigid blade 22 which is adjustably mounted beneath the frame of theimplement carriage. This blade may be of any desired shape andconstruction in accordance with the purposes and uses to which the sameis to be put; and has been illustrated as consisting of a flat steelplate which is reinforced at its lower edge on the back side thereof, asby an angle iron member 24 extending across the entire length of theblade and being secured thereto as by welding or the like. By thismeans, the lower edge of the scraper blade is reinforced and renderedmore rigid for the scraping operation for which the blade is intended.

A supporting means is provided for pivotally mounting the blade upon theframe [0. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 6, the rear surface ofthe blade 22 has provided at suitable spaced intervals a plurality ofangle iron members having flanges 26 which are welded or otherwisesecured to the rear surface of the blade 22, and having furtherperpendicular, rearwardly and vertically extending flanges 28 to whichare removably attached, as by fastening bolts 30, end plates 32 whichare welded or otherwise rigidly attached to the extremities ofconnecting rods 34 in the form of bars of square or other suitablecross-sectional shape.

At their other extremities, these bars 34 are pivotally secured, as bybolts 38, to brackets which are of U-shaped construction and consist ofa pair of parallel, vertically depending plates 38, integrally formedupon a horizontal plate 40, which is removably clamped to the flange ofthe I-beam l6.

While various types and constructions of clamps could be provided fordetachably securing the anchoring bracket 38 to the frame member I6, avery simple and suitable form of clamp, as illustrated in Figure '7,consists of a pair of plates 42 and 44 which are secured to thehorizontal plate of the bracket and which clamp therebetween the flange20 of the I-beam i6.

Obviously, any suitable and preferred number of clamps, connecting rods34, and webs or flanges 28 will be employed in order to pivotallysupport the scraper blade 22 for uniform vertical pivoting movement uponthe frame H].

In order to selectively raise and lower the scraper blade upon itspivotal supports 34, a detachable elevating mechanism is provided. Thismechanism includes a rocker shaft 48 which may conveniently be ofnon-circular cross-section, and which extends transversely of and isrotatably journaled upon the supporting frame H3 in a manner to be setforth hereinafter. The rocker shaft is provided with rocker arms andconnecting links by means of which the arms are pivotally attached tothe scraper blade, and an operating lever is further provided whereby asource of power may be employed to impart controlled rocking movement tothe rocker shaft to thereby selectively raise or lower the scraperblade.

As will be apparent from Figures 2 and 4, the tongue 14 is illustratedas an I-beam and extends across the transverse I-beams IS. A journalbearing 50 is provided with a base plate 52 which rests upon the flange20 of the I-beam forming the tongue l4, and is removably clampedthereon, as by fastening bolts 54, which extend through the base flange52 and through clamping plates 56 which engage the under surface of theI-beam flange 20. This journal should be provided with a suitablelubricating fitting 58, the same being of any known design.

At other suitable locations along its length, the rocker shaft 48 isprovided with other journal bearings, which, as shown in Figure 5, mayconveniently comprise suitable brackets Ed which are of I-beamconstruction and which have welded or otherwise attached to their uppersurface a journal bearing 62, likewise being provided with a lubricantfitting 64, the bracket being provided with a horizontal base plate 66rest ing upon the upper surface of the flange 2c of the I-beam l5, andbeing detachably clamped thereon as by fastening bolts 63 and clamp itwhich underlie the upper flange 20 of the I-beam [6.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the rocker shaft is thusdetachably clamped upon and journaled on the frame Ill, for oscillatingor rocking movement as set forth hereinafter.

At suitable spaced points along the length of the rocker shaft 48, thereare provided rocker arms indicated generally by the numeral 72. As shownin Figure 5, it is preferred to form these rocker arms as a pair ofparallel metal bars 14 and It, which, at their rear ends, are aperturedfor non-rotatable engagement upon the noncircular rocker shaft 48, andwhich are connected, as by a horizontally disposed welded plate 18, aU-bolt or the like Bil being provided to encircle the rocker shaft 48between the bars '14 and 76, and being clamped upon the rocker shaft, asby nuts 82, resting upon the plate '78. It will thus be seen that eachof the rocker arms is removably and longitudinally adjustable upon butrigidly clamped to the rocker shaft 48 for rocking movement therewith.At their outer extremities, each of the rocker arms is pivotallyconnected to one end of a connecting link in the form of a metal bar orstrap 84, whose upper end is disposed between the parallel bars 74 andI6 and pivotally secured thereto, as by a bolt 86. At its lower end,each of the connecting links 84 has welded or otherwise secured theretoone end 38 of a clip whose other end 913 terminates in parallel butspaced relation to the end of the connecting link 84 to form abifurcated end for the same which embraces and is pivotally secured at92 to a rearwardly and vertically extending flange or plate 94 formingone angulated portion of an angle iron member whose other perpendicularflange or plate 96 is welded or otherwise attached to the rear surfaceof the blade 92. It will thus be seen that the scraper blade ispivotally connected to the rocker arms 12 whereby a pivotal movementabout the supporting rods 34 and their pivotal connection 33 with theframe is effected.

A combined actuating arm and rocker arm is provided for operativelyconnecting the source of power for raising and lowering the scraperblade to the rocker shaft and for connecting the rocker shaft to thescraper blade, such a construction being indicated more particularly inFigure 4. In this instance, a pair of rocker arms '52 are disposed inspaced relation and each rigidly attached to the rocker shaft 418 forrocking movement therewith, each of these rocker arms being connected bythe above mentioned connecting links 34 to the scraper blade 22.

However, adjacent their rear ends, there are provided a pair ofupstanding plates '90 and 100 whose lower ends are received between theparallel bars 1-4 and '16 of :each of the rocker arms 1-2, and arewelded thereto to form lever arms.

Across the backs of their upper portions rests a short section of angleiron or the like I02, to which are welded plates 1'04, [05, 106. I01,all for the purpose of furnishing stiffening support to a pin I08extending through suitable apertures in members 98, 100, 104, 1 05, I06, 101 and having journaled thereon, between members I04 and I06, thetubular hub portion 110 secured to the outer end :of a piston rod H2 orother means of applying force to the rocker arm assembly. 'This pin I08may be placed through any one of a number of sets of holes :in members98 and I to obtain the desired lever arm to suit the type of powerapplied to it, such as a hydraulic cylinder or typical hand lever.

-As will now be more apparent from Figures 1 and 2, it will 'beunderstood that the piston rod H2 is slidingly received within ahydraulic cylinder -I I iand is provided'with a piston therein, notshown, the cylinder being pivotally secured, as at 11-6, to anyconvenient part of the frame of the implement carriage, such as thetongue I4 thereof. Suitable flexible conduits H8 and I20 serve toconnect the opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder with any suitablesource of hydraulic fluid under pressure, such as the hydraulic powertake-01f of .a tractor or the like, not shown. Since the construction ofthe 'hydraulically operated cylinder and piston assembly and the manner'in which the same is energized from the power take-off of a tractor orthe like is Well understood, 'it is not deemed necessary to illustratethe construction or further describe the operation of the same.

However, it will now be apparent that upon suitable control by theoperator, fluid pressure may be selectively applied to either side ofthe piston at either end of the cylinder H4, and since the cylinder ispivotally anchoredto the framework I0, the piston rod II2 will beselectively moved into or out of the cylinder, the latter pivoting aboutits pivot pin IIB, as required by this movement. This movement of thepiston rod H2 is applied to the lever arm assembly of Figure 4, andthereby causes a rocking move-' ment of the rocker arms I2 which, inturn, causes an oscillation or rocking movement of the rocker shaft 48,to thereby selectively raise or lower the scraper blade as above setforth.

It will now be seen that there has been provided an appliance in whicheach element of the same is detachably secured and mounted upon theframework of an implement carriage; and

which may be operatively connected to the power take-01f of a tractor orthe like, whereby the scraper blade may be selectively raised or loweredto effect a levelling or scraping operation of the ground either inconjunction with or without the chisel-type plows I3, or otheragricultural or ground-working implements mounted upon the frame I0 ofthe implement carriage.

The two principal uses of this invention are, first, its occasional orintermittent use to fill small ditches or correct minor irregularitieswhile plowing or weeding a field; second, for land levelling operationsin preparing fields for irrigation or better farming operations, wherethe quantities of earth to be moved do not require the use of heavierequipment.

Fromthe foregoing, the construction and operation of the device,together with its many advantages, will be readily understood, andfurther explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, sincenumerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilledin the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification andaccompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to theexact construction shown and described, but all suitable modificationsand equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of theappended claims.

Having "disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new isas follows:

1. A land levelling attach-ment comprising a frame, a scraper blade,support means mounting said scraper blade on said frame for verticalmovement, a rocker shaft journaled on said frame, a pair bilaterallyspaced rocker arms secured to said shaft, connecting said blade to saidarms, upstanding plates secured to each of said arms and disposed inparallel spaced "relation to each other, said plates -each "having'anupwardly extending edge and apertures therein each equally spaced fromsaid edge, an angle member extending transversely of said plates andhaving one leg thereof abutting said edge of each plate adjacent an endof the leg, a plurality of ribs secured transversely of the other leg ofsaid angle member, a pivot pin extending through aligned apertures insaid plates and through said ribs, and means attached to said pivot .pinfor oscillating said plates about said rocker shaft to raise and lowersaid blade.

2. A land levelling attachment comprising a frame, a scraper blade,support means mounting said scraper blade on said frame :for verticalmovement, a rocker shaft journaled on said frame, a pair of laterallyspaced rocker arms secured to said shaft, links connecting said blade tosaid arms, upstanding plates secured to each of said arms and disposedin parallel spaced relation to each other, said plates each having anupwardly extending edge and apertures therein each equally spaced fromsaid edge, an angle member extending transversely of said plates andhaving one leg thereof abutting said edge of each plate adjacent an endof the leg, a plurality of ribs secured transversely of the other leg ofsaid angle member, a pivot pin extending through aligned apertures insaid plates and through said ribs, and means attached to said pivot pinfor oscillating said plates about said rocker shaft to raise and lowersaid blade, the outermost ribs on said angle member abutting theregistering faces of said plates to retain said plates in spacedrelation to each other.

3. A land levelling attachment comprising a frame, a scraper blade,support means mounting said scraper blade on said frame for verticalmovement, a rocker shaft journaled on said frame, a pair of laterallyspaced rocker arms secured to said shaft, links connecting said blade tosaid arms, upstanding plates secured to each of said arms and disposedin parallel spaced relation to each other, said plates each having anupwardly extending edge and apertures therein each' equally spaced fromsaid edge, an angle member extending transversely of said plates andhaving one leg thereof abutting said edge of each plate adjacent an endof the leg, a plurality of ribs secured transversely of the other leg ofsaid angle member, a pivot pin extending through aligned apertures insaid plates and through said ribs, and means attached to said pivot pinfor oscillating said plates about said rocker shaft to raise and lowersaid blade, the outermost ribs on said angle memer abutting theregistering faces of said plates to retain said plates in spacedrelation to each other, said rocker arms each including a pair of spacedbars, said plates being rigidly secured between said bars and retainingthe latter in spaced relation to each other, said links being dsiposedbetween said pair of bars and pivotally attached thereto.

4. A land levelling attachment comprising a frame, a scraper blade,support means mounting said scraper blade on said frame for verticalmovement, a rocker shaft journaled on said frame, a pair of laterallyspaced rocker arms secured to said shaft, links connecting said blade tosaid arms, upstanding plates secured to each of said arms and disposedin parallel spaced relation to each other, said plates each having anupwardly extending edge and apertures therein each equally spaced fromsaid edge, an angle member extending transversely of said plates andhaving one leg thereof abutting said edge of each plate adjacent an endof the leg, a plurality of ribs secured transversely of the other leg ofsaid angle member, a pivot pin extending through aligned apertures insaid plates and through said ribs, and means attached to said pivot pinfor oscillating said plates about said rocker shaft to raise and lowersaid blade, the outermost ribs on said angle member abutting theregistering faces of said plates to retain said plates in spacedrelation to each other, said rocker arms each including a pair of spacedbars, said plates being rigidly secured between said bars and retainingthe latter in spaced relation to each other, said links being disposedbetween said pair of bars and pivotally attached thereto, said bars eachhaving a notch in one edge thereof, said shaft having a non-circularportion disposed in said notches, a U-bolt disposed between said pairsof bars with the web portion thereof underlying said shaft, and meanssecuring the legs of said bolts to said bars.

5. A land levelling attachment comprising a frame, a scraper blade,support means mounting said scraper blade on said frame for verticalmovement, a rocker shaft journaled on said frame, a pair of laterallyspaced rocker arms secured to said shaft, links connecting said blade tosaid arms, upstanding plates secured to each of said arms and disposedin parallel spaced relation to each other, said plates each having anupwardly extending edge and apertures therein each equally spaced fromsaid edge, an angle member extending transversely of said plates andhaving one leg thereof abutting said edge of each plate adjacent an endof the leg, a plurality of ribs secured transversely of the other leg ofsaid angle member, a pivot pin extending through aligned apertures insaid plates and through said ribs, and means attached to said pivot pinfor oscillating said plates about said rocker shaft to raise and lowersaid blade, the outermost ribs on said angle member abutting theregistering faces of said plates to retain said plates in spacedrelation to each other, a drawbar secured to said frame, a journal onsaid drawbar rotatably supporting said shaft, said rocker arms beingdisposed on opposite sides of said journal, said plate oscillating meansbeing secured to said drawbar.

ERWIN TEN BENSEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,775,314 Mahoney et al Sept. 9, 1930 2,051,283 Austin Aug.13, 1936 2,147,207 Nikkel Feb. 14, 1939 2,426,410 Owen Aug. 26, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 107,914 Australia July 6, 1939

